Here is the story of the first modulated radio signals 100 years ago.
http://marconigraph.com/titanic/wireless/mgy_wireless.html Before that the emission spectrum of the spark transmitter what that of lightning and was dwarfed at interstellar distances by natural sources. After the introduction of the rotating wheel with to interrupt the spark there was a unnatural beep beep beep that was different. Twenty years later these things put out a megawatt. If there wave ever to be a man made ball of lighting it should have came out of one of these fiery pin wheels. Speaking of the time my neighbor gave me a set of encyclopedias when I was in the 5th grade from 1912. It had a picture representing New York sky harbor by 1950. There were wooden sailing ships held up by balloons and a restaurant held up by balloons saying Eat at Joe's. I believe I saw this picture again in Infinite Energy. It had a warfare of the future picture. Men carrying rifles were held up by flapping wing packs. There was a sphere held up by a balloon with a cannon. It had a story about the zeppelin stating that I could carry heavy guns and knock out any heaver that air craft before it came into the range of its small guns. And of course there was the steam locomotive going a a mile a minute. Who could believe that? There were safety stories about the automatic application of the breaks with a trip bar tied to the block system,,what a marvel...no more wrecks..maybe not!! The Titanic and the Olympic were in dry dock as the pride of the British empire. The Titanic sunk after publication 100 years ago this April. So did a third of the series the Britannic. It had stores of the wondrous wireless. These stories were shrouded in the mystery keep by the Marconi company. Sort of like Rossi today. My mother through out the books when I was in school in the 8th grade. I have never been able to find another copy. As I read of Jed and his predictions I wonder will his be bettor or worse. They had the right idea in 1912 but the wrong implementation. No one had a clue of the coming internet until it happened. Some see only tragedy. I see anti-gravity and cold fusion. Frank Znidarsic
